The government shutdown affects Americans in numerous ways, including crucial healthcare research, funding for preschool programs, social security, and much more. One particular way that it’s affecting students at RAHS is the cut-off of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) effective on November 1st, 2025. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 42 million Americans rely on these benefits, including some students at RAHS.
Christina Forsythe, a Work-Based Learning Coordinator, shared why this issue is incredibly important to her. She said, “ …I want to make sure all students have access to the food and basic items they need to feel secure and supported.”
She further stated that it’s important to her to make sure that families know the resources that exist in order to relieve the stress of food insecurity that many families struggle with.
As a result of the government shutdown, many families will struggle by not being able to have access to resources like SNAP, which provides food for many families. In this time of hardship for many households, Forsythe expressed why having resources like food shelves is important. She said, “Having a food shelf at school is important because it helps make sure that every student has access to food and other needed items, no matter what their situation is at home.”
Adam Tancabel, a social worker at RAHS, confirmed Forsythe’s point about the importance of food assistance. “…we all have a right to have access to food,” he said.
Tancabel also stressed the importance of having resources like food shelves in schools. He said, “It creates a level of accessibility…we are a really large student body…with that comes a diverse student background, in all aspects, socioeconomics being one of them.”
Food insecurity is a critical issue in the world today. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 18 million Americans struggled with food insecurity in 2023. Forsythe said, “…students have shared concerns about food insecurity, whether for themselves or for others they know.”
Forsythe shared that during this time of adversity, it’s important to come together as a community. For that reason, she relayed that there will be a new way for students to have access to food through food drives. She said, “Our current plan is to host a food drive in November. We have an amazing group of staff and students finalizing the details, so stay tuned! I’m collaborating with our Work Experience classes, social workers, Student Council, and other student groups to organize the drive. Our goal is to collect food and essential items to keep our school food shelf well-stocked and accessible to those who need it.”
Tancabel confirmed Forsythe’s observation that more families are in need of a food drive. He said, “…more families are going to be needing support to supplement…because they are losing a service…losing access to food. This is one way to combat that loss that we have.”
According to the BBC, Congress met to come to an agreement on the federal spending budget. It determines what the United States can spend money on. For the bill to pass, both political parties have to agree on its terms, and then it would be given to the president to sign. On October 1st, 2025, both parties could not agree on the bill. Democrats wanted to expand the bill to include tax credits that would make healthcare affordable for many Americans. These terms were not agreed upon by Republicans, resulting in the government shutting down. The only way for the government to reopen is if both parties can come to an agreement.
Finally, Forsythe urged students to help out in a variety of ways. She said, “Once the food drive details are finalized, students can help by spreading the word, collecting donations, and stocking our shelves with Raider pride. I also welcome anyone with new ideas or an interest in getting involved to reach out to me or one of our school social workers. Your support, either getting involved, donating, collecting donations, or spreading the word, makes a real difference.”
